Dianne's Synopsis

The SAT scores are back and we open with Willow bemoaning her *excellent*-but-not-absolutely-perfect scores. Xander's seem not to be particularly impressive (nor surprising), but he comforts Willow, who's genuinely distressed. When Cordy and Oz walk up he jumps away, pretty obviously feeling guilty at even sitting that close to her.

Cordy's scored well (as she expected), and Oz suggests they celebrate. Xander's starting to set up a double date (over Cordy's pantomimed "No!") when Buffy arrives, looking stunned. Turns out her scores are exceptionally high, giving her options she hadn't considered and leading her to start thinking about a future she wasn't sure she was even going to have. Cordy offers the up-side that this way Buffy can "leave Sunndydale and never come back!... What kind of moron would ever want to come back here?"

Cut immediately to a scene parodying the beginning of School Hard and Spike's original arrival in town-- he drives up, taking out the "Welcome to Sunnydale" sign, but then falls out of the car, amongst empty bottles, clearly very, very drunk. --- Spike stumbles into the old burnt-out warehouse, singing "My Way," and laughing-- still obviously *trashed*. Laughter turns to tears as he finds some of Drusilla's burnt dolls and starts asking why she left him, and turns to anger as he vamps, starts cursing, and beats the dolls to pieces with a free-standing candelabra.

Meanwhile, at Sunndydale High, Xander is trying to talk Cordelia into what has now become a double-date for bowling, when he notices pictures of himself and Cordy taped up inside her locker. He is suitably stunned to find out he's "locker door material", and Cordy warns him "just". They run into Willow and Oz as they're leaving, Cordy agrees to the bowling, and they head off.

At the lockers, Oz gives Willow a 'just because' present-- a witch-shaped Pez dispenser. Willow is overwhelmed by his thoughtfulness. Too overwhelmed, actually... her guilty conscience is showing.

Buffy is in the library looking over a pile of camping gear Giles has assembled-- he's off to a quick retreat just outside town at a "site of some fascinating Druidic rituals". Giles, meanwhile, is quite impressed by Buffy's scores, as was apparently her mother , who has started talking college plans. Buffy brushes them off ("I know, I know, I said that you were going to have a goat." :). But to her surprise Giles agrees-- he's thinking of the education she could get, and figuring that with Faith as back-up, she might indeed be able to go away to college. Then he asks if she'll be seeing Angel while he's gone. She says she will, but assures him that they're only friends now and there is no danger. Giles looks seriously doubtful.

At the same time, in another section of the school, Willow is freaking over the impending double date. Her interlude with Oz has apparently gotten her thinking that this is a set-up for disaster and she's desperately trying to talk Xander into calling it off. He starts by assuring her that nothing will go wrong because Oz and Cordy will see that they're only friends, then ends by asking if he can kiss her earlobe. :) Her hormones are barely any more in check, but they manage to stop themselves, Xander wishing desperately that there was some way to just end the attraction between them.

That evening Joyce is babbling college possibilities to Buffy, who is feeling a little put off by mom's over-enthusiasm for the subject. Buffy's dragging her heels at the thought of leaving, but the Slaying can be covered by Faith, it's a great opportunity, she's always wanted to lead a 'normal' life somewhere that's away... but she can't answer when she's finally asked "Is there anything that's keeping you here?"

Cut, of course, to Angel, alone in the abandoned mansion, reading a French paperback ["Le Nausee" --"Nausea" ?!?] by firelight. Spike is watching through a broken window, still very drunk and taunting him [too quietly to be heard] from outside. Spike finally trips and passes out in what used to be Dru's garden... only to be awakened by a ray of sunlight catching his hand on fire the next morning. Cursing and yelling, he manages to put it out in the fountain and scramble into his car, where he grabs another bottle from among all the empties. Shaded by the blacked-out windows, he pours it over the burn (old habits die hard???) and starts swigging it as well.

Next we see, Spike has apparently decided on a more pro- active approach and is going through the books in a Pagan shop looking for curses to use on Angel. [Spike: "Leprosy! A spell that makes his parts fall off. That sounds proper." Startled Shopkeeper: "We don't carry... leprosy...."] The perky Pagan shopkeeper is distracted by Willow coming in the shop looking for love-spell ingredients ["But this is more of an anti- love spell. Yeah, kind of a de-lusting. The supplies are basically the same, right?"]. Unseen behind the bookrack, Spike watches the transaction. By the time Willow has left, he's got a new plan... which starts with using the shopkeeper as a breakfast snack. --- The mayor is in his office, being his usual wigsome self and scaring the Hellmouth out of his poor aide. They are discussing both Spike's presence and the shopkeeper's death. The mayor was apparently amused by Spike last year, but decides "this year is too important" to take risks with a loose cannon, so he tells his aide to call "the committee" to take care of "the Spike problem".

Angel is sitting in front of the fire again tonight, but this time with Buffy. The topic of discussion segues from college talk, to the fact that Joyce doesn't know about Angel yet because Buffy doesn't think she's "ready to process the information that you and I are friends again". Speaking 'as a friend', Angel asks her what reasons she has to stay in Sunnydale, and then admits he agrees with Giles and Joyce (and Cordy :)-- she should leave. Buffy's a bit put off by that, and Angel's a bit hurt when she agrees that there's nothing to keep her. Buffy gets up to head home, but a startled Angel doesn't want her leaving "so early". They're so busy talking around each other on the level of 'friends' that they're only barely communicating.

Willow's mixing up her 'de-lusting' spell in the school lab when Xander shows up, apparently in response to her phone call. She insists it's only a chemistry experiment, and that she called him in to help tutor him for an upcoming exam, but Xander soon realizes she's trying to cast a spell. He's very upset (remembering his luck with love spells) and they get into a fight and call off the spell... just in time for Spike's arrival. Spike knocks Xander down, saying he want's "to borrow the little girl." Willow tries to hit him over the head with a microscope [yes, that took freeze-frame to determine for sure ;] off the lab bench, but he catches it, takes it away from her, and uses it to knock Xander out cold.

Next view is of Xander, lying motionless on a bed with blood down the side of his face. Pulling back we see Spike emptying out a box of paraphernalia onto the table and telling a very scared-looking Willow that he wants her to do a love spell for him to bring Drusilla back. Spike is still keeping himself thoroughly drunk and vacillating between anger, desperation, and despair. He threatens a now obviously terrified Willow with a broken bottle to the face, then literally cries on her shoulder, explaining that it was the truce with Buffy that made Dru think he'd gone soft. However Willow's shoulder turns out to be dangerously close to her neck... which starts bringing out the vampire in Spike. Willow, however, holds her ground, promising to do the spell and bring Drusilla back to him on the promise that he not hurt or attack her. Spike agrees, assuring her that if she fails the first time he will simply kill Xander and have her try again. Thinking quickly, she tells him that she needs more ingredients than he brought, and the spellbook, which she left "somewhere"....

Buffy is jumping rope in the library when Oz and Cordelia arrive, having arrived for the double-bowling date to find no Willow or Xander and the lab in a shambles. Buffy goes back to the lab with them and they note signs of a fight, but no blood. Buffy sends Cordy and Oz to fetch Giles from the retreat while she heads back to the library and the weapons cabinet. As she reaches it, however, she's interrupted by the phone ringing. It's Joyce who apologizes for going overboard on the college planning, but would like to talk to her about it now. Before Buffy can beg off for Slayer Rescue Duty, she hears a voice in the background of the call. It's Spike, who's dropped by her mother's house. Buffy drops the phone and runs for the library door. --- When we return we see Joyce playing LoveLine counselor to Spike in her kitchen, having sat him down with a mug of cocoa. [Hey, last time she knew anything, he was on Buffy's side against the evil Angelus, right?] Angel, passing by, sees the two of them having their friendly little chat through the open kitchen door and comes running to the rescue... only to be stopped cold at the door by the force of Buffy's past dis- invite. Seeing him appear snarling and enraged (at Spike) at the door only bolster's Joyce belief that he's the enemy. Angel tries to warn Joyce and get her to invite him in while Spike amuses himself by making threatening gestures at Joyce behind her head. This comes to an end when Buffy (having come in through the front) grabs Spike, pins him to the counter, and calmly invites Angel in. Poor Joyce is now utterly confused (and just when she thought she had all the players straight!), but Buffy and Angel pretty much ignore her for the necessity of getting Spike to tell them where Willow and Xander are. Spike explains that he'll release them after Willow does the spell for him, offers to let Angel and Buffy tag along, and the three of them leave.

Meanwhile Oz and Cordy are indeed motoring up the highway after Giles when Oz screeches to a halt and turns off instead. He can smell Willow and that she's afraid-- a discovery that wigs them both.

Spike, Buffy and Angel are walking down the street when Spike comes to the awful realization that he's sobering up. Angel keeps Buffy from putting him out of his misery by pointing out they need him to find Willow and Xander; when Buffy suggests he's probably just locked them in the old factory, Spike manages to laugh it off. Then they pass a certain park bench which drags Spike back into a bit of romantic nostalgia; to Buffy and Angel's deep lack of caring.

The three reach the occult shop and, breaking through the crime-scene tape, proceed to collect the necessary items off Willow's shopping list. Angel and Buffy's Spike-baiting as they gather items leads to a quick fight and Spike turning it back on them: "The last time I looked in on you two, you were fighting to the death. Now you're back making googly-eyes at each other again like nothing happened. Makes me want to heave." Buffy and Angel's protest that they're "just friends" leads to Spike's denunciation of the way they're fooling themselves ["You're not friends. You'll never be friends. You'll be in love till it kills you both. You'll fight, and you'll shag, and you'll hate each other until it makes you quiver, but you'll never be friends. Love isn't brains, children, it's blood -- blood screaming inside you to work its will. I may be love's bitch, but at least I'm man enough to admit it." -- best monologue and delivery in the whole ep!:]

Back at the factory, Willow's trying in vain to break open the door, when Xander finally wakes up. She explains the situation to him [Xander: "Give me a third option." Willow: "He's so drunk he forgets about us and we starve to death. That's sort of the best one."] and he assures her that he'll find a way out of it. Unfortunately, however, he's obviously concussed and collapses when he even tries to stand. Willow catches him... and it turns into a clinch, excused on the grounds of "impending death situation"...

...at which point Oz and Cordy arrive, having come to the rescue. Everyone's in shock. Cordy turns to run out, up the stairs behind them... when one gives way beneath her. Xander gets up there first to look down about ten feet to see her flat on her back on a pile of concrete, stunned, with a piece of rebar jutting up through her stomach.

Our three favorite shoppers are heading back through the streets with bags of supplies in their arms when they're stopped by mean-looking vampires. --- These fourteen or so vampires turn out to be the mayor's "committee". They only want Spike, but since he still holds Willow and Xander hostage [they think!], Buffy and Angel are forced to fight with and for him against the committee. The fight eventually moves back into the occult shop, in which our three barricade themselves.

Cut to the factory: Xander climbs down towards Cordy, while Willow tells her not to move-- Oz has gone for help.

Back at the shop: Spike gets out a lot of aggression on one of his old lieutenants, and ultimately, Buffy and Angel manage to run off the remainder with improvised holy water hand grenades . The fight is over and Spike is psyched. He volunteers that Willow and Xander are at the factory; he's decided to forget the spell altogether and simply win Dru back by being the old demon she loved before ["I'm going to do what I should have done in the first place. I'll find her, wherever she is, tie her up, torture her until she likes me again. Love's a funny thing."]

Xander's down with Cordelia, begging her to hold on. She's confused, recognizes him, but says she can't see him. Then she goes limp.

Cut to funeral scene... interrupted by Buffy and Willow walking past it, talking about how Cordy lost a lot of blood, but will recover. [4 out of 4 SunS polled watching for the first time completely fell for that one, Joss, you *&^%$! Ave. :-p] Xander's been at the hospital but unable to see Cordelia until today (apparently several days later). Willow feels terrible; Oz won't talk to her. Buffy lends a sympathetic ear (and suggests a lot of groveling).

When Xander approaches Cordelia's hospital bed with flowers she's lying with her face towards the far wall and doesn't turn to acknowledge him at all. Only when he starts an apology does she turn towards him, and then only long enough to tell him to stay away from her. She turns back to the wall, he leaves, and she starts crying.

Buffy visits Angel in the mansion and tells him she's not coming back. She's accepted that Spike's right-- they aren't friends and never will be. She can't have what she wants from him, he doesn't need her care, and she's leaving. He protests, but she challenges him: "Tell me that you don't love me." He can't, of course, so she walks away.

Over a great guitar solo we see all of them in turn: Willow on the floor of her room holding the Pez dispenser, Oz sitting on a pool table at the Bronze with his guitar, Xander sorting books alone in the library, Cordelia lying alone in her hospital bed, and Buffy sitting outside at the school. They're all obviously suffering.

Julie's Review

Well, I saw it last night. Mostly. (Grumble alert) I kept cutting out just after some interesting pointed questions. Grrr. Argh.

As usual, my memory for order of scenes sucks. Deal with it.

Anyway, first the emotional review.

I hate Joss.

Other than that it was kinda: *curiosity*::GIGGLE::ROTFLOL::GIGGLE::::GIGGLE::ROTFLOLPIP:: whimper::*severe apprehension**::cuss Joss::::cuss Joss more:: ::giggle::::dance::

More elaborately,

We start by finding out that the SAT's are in and: Willow did not-so-good while Buffy kicked. :) This makes not only Buffy's mom talk going away for college, but Giles as well. But Buffy's not too keen on it--she wants to stay near Angel, but doesn't say it to anyone, even him. Even when he also encourages her to go (and then stupidly wonders why she decides to call it an early night. Duh!)

Other where in Sunnydale, enter Spike...sloshed to the gills. (Loved it coming right after Cordy's line of "What moron would want to come back here?") Poor, poor Spike. Dru dumped him and he's a lost vamp without her. (Interesting that the dumping wasn't for attacking Angelus--it was for being 'soft' by going in with the Slayer against him.) He staggers about, bemoaning his loss, and almost ends up a crispy critter. He runs back to the car and takes off.

And in another corner we have Willow and Xander who are having a harder time keeping their paws to themselves. Both wish it weren't happening. Against their hemming and hawing, a bowling double date with Willow & Oz and Xander & Cordy is planned. But Willow has a trip beforehand...to the local witch paraphinalia [okay, I can't spell. Just ask Betsy.] shop where we learn that she wants to make an anti-love potion for her & Xander.

What she doesn't know is that Spike was in the back of said shop and haad been trying to get the shopkeeper to cast a nasty spell for several icky things like leprosy. The shopkeeper kept telling him she didn't do things like that. When said shopkeeper comes back from waiting on Willow, Spike decides he's had a better idea--exit one shopgirl.

Meanwhile, later in the Mayor's office, bad things are being alluded to. While the Mayor has been entertained in the past by Spike's antics, with what will be going down this year (no they didn't say what...darn it!) they can't afford a loose cannon like Spike, and the mayor gives orders for him to be taken care of.

Okay, I haven't mentioned Giles yet. He's gone off just befor emid-ep for some kind of retreat (I only caught part of it...something about druids?). So, anyway, Buffy's in the library training alone.

Willow and Xander meet before the big date. Willow is trying to brew the make-war potion, and Xander realizes what she's up to. They have a bit of a spat which really comes to a close when Spike turns up, knocks Xander about & out and tells Willow what he wants: for her to cast a love spell on Dru. If she doesn't, she and Xander die. If she doesn't get it right the first time...Xander dies and then she gets to try again. Willow is well and truly wigged by this time and it gets hairier...and I'd like to nominate the rest of the scene for most surrealistic for the season-along with one other scene in this ep...Spike then starts going on about how Dru dumped him and all the particulars and literally ends up crying on Willow's shoulder. Willow hasn't a *clue* what to do as she's afraid that anything, anything at all, will cause Spike to killl her. And not doing anything almost does it. He stops his sob story when he catches scent of her blood and wants a nice snack/dirversion. Willow manages to bargain with him for 'no' and he eventually agrees. He tells her to start with the spell, but Willow tells him she can't as there's some things she needs to cast it. He proceeds to take them to....the burned out factory and leaves them locked up.

Buffy's on the telephone with Joyce, talking about her going to college, and Joyce is now saying that staying in Sunnydale is okay with her. As they talk, much to Buffy's horror, she hears Spike greet her mother. She drops the phone and runs.

Surrealistic scene #2.

We find Spike again crying about Dru leaving him...to Joyce, who is feeding him hot chocolate and sympathy. At one point he asks for marshmallows. Too weird for words was this scene. I was dying laughing.

Meanwhile, outside the Summers home is lurking Angel. He sees Spike inside and rushes to Joyce's rescue. Oops. He forgot. Buffy uninvited him. ::THUD:: Spike is vastly amused (the 'nyah, nyah' sort of dialogue. ) and Joyce is also saying some uncomplimentary things, not having been updated by Buffy about Angel's current soul status. If Buffy's tried to explain Angel to her mom at all...which I doubt. Just as things come to a head, Buffy comes up behind Spike and gets him in a chokehold while she invites Angel in. They have some words and Buffy and Angel decide to off Spike. Until he tells them he has Willow and Xander and if she dusts him, they won't be found. Buffy retorts that finding them shouldn't be too hard, that Spike probably stashed them in the factory. Spike makes a nice recovery to convince her he's not that simplistic (he is, but aren't most men? Just kidding.) He convinces them to help him get the ingredients that Willow needs for the spell.

Okay, this is one of those places where my memory went wonky. I can't remember precisely where the scene with Cordy and Oz realizing that there's a problem and them and Buffy finding the scuffle/abduction site. Buffy sends Cordy & Oz to try to get Giles from his retreat.

Xander wakes up and he and Willow get scared and smoochie.

Buffy, Angel and Spike find trouble. Spike off and on moans about Dru again and then also gives them some uninvited commentaries about their own relationship, of which they are both in denial about. The mayor's clean-up crew shows and it's an all-out battle. One of the vamps was once Spike's underling and he taunts Spike that he's soft and a baby. Pisses Spike right off and he ends up mopping the floor with the moron vamp. And he's happy. Very happy. It's seems a bit of a rumble did the lad some good. When Buffy reminds him about why they're there, namely the spell ingredients, Spike tells her "Sod the spell." he tells her that Willow & Xander are at the factory. He's happy as he now knows why Dru dumped him...he wasn't vicious enough. He happily decides to go back, kidnap her and torture her until she loves him again. Spike's alomst bouncy enough to be a Nat Packer at this point. (Scary, ain't it?)

On the way for help, Oz stops the van as he smells Willow. They leave off going for Giles and go looking for Willow instead. And they find Willow and Xander...having smoochies. Bad scene made worse by my losing the signal for a couple of seconds. Meaning I don't know how Cordy ended up down the hole with a stick through her stomach. (owie) Oz goes for help, and Xander goes down and tries to keep Cordy awake/alive. Cordy fades in midword.

Cut funeral in the graveyard. [This is one of those curse areas. Joss had me hook, line and sinker. My mouth gaped as I said, "He killed her?!" Bad Joss.] Buffy and Willow come into view discussing how Cordy is okay, but lost a lot of blood. [Cursed Joss more when I realized I'd been had.] They also discuss how oz isn't talking to Willow and Buffy warns her that there's probably a lot of groveling ahead. Willow says she's ready to grovel, but I don't think so. Too many issues to clear first.

Xander comes in to visit Cordy in the hospital and brings her flowers. She tells him to get lost and not come back. A very hurt Cordy here. Not something we'd thought we'd see a few season's ago. looks like the begining of the fissure making it possible for her to go mid-season to the other show.

Buffy goes and talks to Angel and tells him she's not coming back as Spike is right. They can't be friends. Ever. He tries to keep her from going for good when she pointly asks him (gee, return quote here. I was just rewatching IOHEFY.) "Tell me you don't love me." He can't and she leaves.

Depressing shots of the Slayer & Slayerettes, each alone and brooding. [more cursing Joss...and whimpering.]

Then, bounciness. Spike leaving town, music blaring with a punk version of "My Way." So we end with the one unhappy person at the start, is the only happy person at the end. Bad, EVIL Joss. Shame.

I don't know about next week. The bloody station cuts the promos. Pht.

Fav quotes:

"I gave her beautiful jewels, beautiful gowns with beautiful girls in them..."

"She didn't even care enough to cut off my head...or set me on fire."

Damn. I can't remember the rest. Fudge.

Mary Beth's Review

Let me tell you, it doesn't hurt any less after watching it 3 times. No siree... it hurts more.

Um, ow. Wait, I said this would have sentences. Okay.

Um, wow. Oh, that was only one letter more, wasn't it? Trying again.

What a fabulous juxtaposition of humor and pain, love and loss. This just can't be happening. But it is. I said it would be a train wreck, that we wouldn't be able to look away. And it was, and I couldn't.

Buffy and Angel Nice try Buffy. Points for effort. Now say 'pretty please.' She's so right to try to cut it off. But she only listened to part of what Spike said, didn't she?They can never be friends. But they'll never stop loving each other. This will not last. It cannot last. The bond is too strong. It's not about thinking. She can't just decide it's over. Not until their hearts stop beating (well, in theory for one of them) and their souls leave this realm will it be over. And not even then. Thank you Joss (and Dan Vebber) for at least finally acknowledging their eternal love.

Now what to do about it? I don't know. All I know is that hurt. And I want it to stop. Did you see how Angel's face lit up when he heard Buffy coming? Ohmygosh. That just hurt. He'll follow her to the ends of the earth if he has to until he's forced to do otherwise... come episode 22 I guess. He's even going by her house again to check on her or watch her or whatever. Old habits die hard. Bad habits. Bad. To be broken.

I have to say that the moment she invited him back in to her house just gives me chills. I watched it over and over. I don't know what it is specifically except for the unspoken bond and trust that's just *there* between them that she feels she can do it.... granted, she needed some help with Spike, but she could have just thrown him out the door.

Poor Joyce. Just when she *thinks* she's got a handle on it all.... left field gets a little bit bigger.

Giles, out of town. Whatever... it was his turn for nada screentime. I can accept that. And did you hear in the library? Buffy said goat. *teehee*

Spike
Oh man James Marsters is a *god*. His speech in the boogedy boogedy shop was phenomenal. His scene with Willow even more so. "She said we could be friends"!! Aagh! I loved her "there, there." She's scared to death, she's thinking "vampire, bad, evil, death," but she still manages a Willow-y comfort gesture. What else was she to do? But she kept her head and bargained with the guy. Go Willow.

So many fabulous lines mixed in with wonderful pathos and pain. Stellar performance. I could babble endlessly but... what else is there to say? He was perfect. Spike will be back... and he'll have Dru... and won't it be interesting to see what they bring back with them?

The Mayor
Okay, he's a neat freak and he loves golf. This guy's frightening. Really. "Sold his soul" eh? "Very important year for me" reference #2 or 3 eh? What *is* this guy up to. I'll tell you one thing.... it's gonna change the fate of some people, I'll betcha. Right now everyone's talking "Buffy leaving Sunnydale" for college. Nothing's keeping her here. But we know that it's Angel and Cordy leaving. I personally think the Mayor and Snyder and company fiddled with Buffy's SAT scores so she'd go away to school. Sure she could have done *well* on them... but *that* well? After such a short time of studying? She's smart, I've never doubted that, but still.... So the Mayor's got something planned for Sunnydale... something big. What if it's so big that it means Buffy *has* to stick around? Hmmm.... and then it's Angel who decides to leave... or is made to leave by some duty or something. Just..... speculating.

Okay. I've left it to the end.

Oz/Willow/Xander/Cordelia

And the "Art imitates Life" Award goes to Charisma/Cordelia. According the The Watcher's Guide, as a child, Charisma fell into a pool underconstruction and was impaled on one of those pipe-like things that sticks up out of the ground when you pour cement. Didn't hit vital organs but she bled a lot. So that was a stretch for her to play. :\

Okay. I can talk about this. Um.

Everyone suffered. Sums it up.

Xander and Willow have lust ... but more than Xander/Cordy lust. Lust with a history... with friendship. That has to be so much harder to shove aside than pure hormonal attraction. Cordy and Xander never seemed too real as a couple. But Cordelia... she's the one that snuck up on me. Well, I saw the hints of her true feelings for Xander, but who knew how good that girl was at hiding things. She said it herself "I'm good at covering things up." Whoa baby. She's deeply in love with Xander. He's funny, he's cute, he's brave. But he's not good enough for her. He's never respected her. I felt awful for him at the end... for all of them. But maybe now he'll see how good he had it.

He may not deserve Willow either, but at least he's always respected her... if not her feelings for him... just *her*. I have no idea what's in store for him right now.

Oz and Willow are the sweetest couple. He's respectful and sweet and attentive. She deserves someone like that. But if there's one consistent message on this show is that we don't choose love..... it chooses us. And while I think Oz and Willow will heal and make up.... it may only be in the short term. Maybe she's learned her lesson... maybe she's had enough of a taste to know that Oz *is* what she wants. But I doubt it.

Random other thoughts: The SAT thing at the beginning was cute. The pez thing was adorable. As were the locker pictures. All the college pressure on Buffy was wigging *me* out.

Angel reading a French novel?? *thud*

So the warehouse was a burntout shell but the table and chairs on the main level were still mostly intact? Um, wasn't that table on *fire*? Nice touch with the charred room and dolls though.

Absolutely *fabulous* fight scene with Buffy/Angel/Spike. Just really well done and edited. Much less obvious Sophia stuff with this one than there has been of late. I was happy.

The music as usual was beautiful. But I especially loved the very slow, tentative recurrence of the original Buffy/Angel theme... in sort of the same tone as the "new" Buffy/Angel theme... and the heartwrenchingly lovely strains of the guitar over our brokenhearted heroes.

*sniffle*sob*

And of course, who can *ever* forget Spike's rendition of I Did It My Way?

Once again, they've topped themselves from the week before. And now *this* is my favorite episode of the season.

Dead By Christmas. I'm telling you... it's Joss' plan. It's probably written in his Day Timer.

Dang but that fall was totally unexpected. Joss trying to rip Cordy's guts out literally, I take it. Wow. Did anyone else wonder if Cordy was blind? She said she couldn't see Xander (which could have been just approaching unconsciousness) and then he told her about the flowers (which could have been him filling the silence), but she also looked like she wasn't focussing on anything. But they didn't *say* it so.... just wondering if anyone else thought it.

And that funeral. Oh that was mean. I bought it hook line and sinker. I'm cowering on my couch saying "Um, but, um, but" while my head is at least having a more coherent conversation with itself "But she's going to LA... she's not a ghost? or a vamp? is she? She has to be fine." And then... wham. So very Jossian... damn him.

And can I just say.... I LOVE THIS SHOW!!!!!!!!

SunSpeak

" *meep* *meep* *meep* *OWIE* *meep* *meep*"
"I'll see that and raise you a small anguished semi squeaky sound that can't be rendered into letters.."
"I'll see that & raise you a formerly stuffed moose now curiously flat in the middle." -- Lizbet, Sasha and Julie

"Xander and Willow (and Cordelia and Oz). Sigh. One of those life lessons that they probably both had to learn. The sad thing is -- Willow might be able to get Oz back, but I don't think Cordelia will ever get back with Xander. That isn't the knowledge she's going off with Angel talking -- that was first real love spurned. She's got a ton of pride, and it's probably like Xander shoved that spike through her gut himself. And just after Xander got promoted to locker material. " -- Dawn

"Okay, don't get me wrong. I love Oz. And Seth is very easy on the eyes. But, I'm actually looking forward to at least a temporary W/O split. Pre-dateness Oz had a personality and character. Post-dateness he seemed to be nothing more than Willow's "Yes Man"... He went where she wanted to go, he agreed with whatever she said, and the majority of his lines were basically "Willow is a goddess, I will do whatever she says." Healthy relationships thrive on communication. Yes, he's said what he's felt a few times... but because there are so many characters right now thy've stripped him of what basic personality he originally had." -- Abby

"Forget the destruction, forget the near death experiences, forget the heartaches and blood and all those other devastating things.... you *know* it's bad when *Xander* is shelving books all on his own." -- Mary Beth